Notopentorchis bovieni ( Hübscher, 1937 ) Baer, 1959

Georgiev, Boyko B., 2017, Redescriptions of four Palaeotropical species of the cestode genus Notopentorchis Burt, 1938 (Cyclophyllidea: Paruterinidae), Zootaxa 4290 (1), pp. 61-82 : 75-79

Notopentorchis bovieni ( Hübscher, 1937) Baer, 1959

( Figs. 7 , 8 )

Synonym: Paruterina bovieni Hübscher, 1937

Host: Hemiprocne longipennis (Rafinesque) ( Apodiformes : Hemiprocnidae ).

Site: small intestine.

Type locality: Jombang (Djombang), Java Island, Indonesia.

Specimens studied: syntypes, stained in hydrochloric carmine, 15 slides. MNGH-PLAT-41881: scoleces in Berlese’s medium (no. 109/35, 36), stained and mounted specimens with scoleces (no. 109/37, 38, 40), stained and mounted two strobilar fragments (no. 109/39), longitudinal sections (no. 109/41-45), transverse sections (no. 109/ 46-50)

Redescription: Body ribbon-shaped, gradually becoming wider in posterior direction. Maximum width at level of gravid proglottides, 599–658 (629, n=5). Scolex slim, with maximum width at level of suckers, 278–313 (290, n=3); apical part of scolex protrusible, forming cylindrical rostrum 318 long and 14 wide; inside rostrum, distinct circular musculature extending from base of rostellum to level at middle of suckers ( Fig. 7A ). Rostellum sucker-like, with diameter 155–174 (163, n=3); longitudinal muscular fibres present within rostellum. Anterior and posterior hooks with different size and shape, 78–81 (80, n=2) in number, regularly alternating in two rows. Anterior hooks ( Fig. 7B ) 51–60 (56, n=25) long, length of guard 9–13 (12, n=5), length of blade 20–25 (23, n=5), length of handle 26–30 (28, n=5). Posterior hooks ( Fig. 7C ) 26–30 (28, n=4) long, blade 10–12 (11, n=5) long. Suckers oval, cup-shaped, directed antero-laterally, with weak musculature; diameter 153–205 (180, n=12). Neck 48–114 (90, n=3) wide, not clearly distinguished from scolex. Proglottisation begins at 601–1270 (863, n=3) from posterior margin of suckers.

Mature proglottides wider than long in proportion 1: 2 ( Fig. 7D ). Gravid proglottides slightly longer than wide ( Fig. 8C ). Genital pores irregularly alternating in short series, e.g. 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2 or 1, 6, 2, 2, 1, 4, 1, 1; situated in middle of lateral proglottis margin. Genital papilla lacking. Genital atrium cylindrical ( Fig. 7E ), 15–32 (20, n=10) deep, with diameter of orifice 3–12 (6, n=10) and diameter of base 2–12 (5, n=10). Ventral osmoregulatory canals 20–75 (34, n=18) wide, with transverse anastomoses, 23–25 (24, n=3) wide, along posterior margin of proglottis. Dorsal osmoregulatory canals with diameter 10–20 (15, n=18), without transverse anastomoses. Genital ducts ventral to osmoregulatory canals.

Testes 10–13 (11, n=16) in number, situated in median field dorsally to female glands ( Fig. 7D ), may overlap osmoregulatory canals; diameter of testes 50–58 (55, n=7). External vas deferens with diameter 10–25 (15, n=11), coiled, forming compact body situated near anterior margin in poral lateral field. Internal vas deferens coiled, with diameter 5–13 (9, n=10). Cirrus sac thick-walled, elongate, 83–130 (103, n=17) long and 38–50 (42, n=17) wide, situated obliquely to lateral margin of proglottis ( Fig. 7D, E ).

Vitellarium compact, with irregular shape, 50–88 (72, n=14) wide, situated dorsally to ovary, near posterior margin of proglottis ( Fig. 7D ). Ovary reniform, compact, 120–155 (137, n=9) wide, occupying substantial part (but not entire width) of median field anteriorly to vitellarium; ventral to vitellarium and testes. Mehlis’ gland (not always distinct) spherical, with diameter 32–42 (37, n=2), antero-dorsally to vitellarium. Vagina thin-walled, with diameter 7–13 (10, n=29), surrounded by thick cellular sheath, passing posteriorly and opened postero-dorsally to cirrus sac ( Fig. 7E ); connected with seminal receptacle adjacent to cross-point of genital ducts and poral osmoregulatory canals. Seminal receptacle cylindrical, with tapering ends, 22–32 (27, n=2) wide.

Uterus starting its development as a thick-walled structure with irregular shape situated antero-dorsally to ovary in mature proglottides ( Fig. 7D ), almost at same dorso-ventral level as testes. In post-mature proglottides, anterior and posterior uterine walls form deep sacculations ( Fig. 8A ); with further enlargement of size, uterus occupying entire median field ( Fig. 8B ). Paruterine organ develops as thickening of anterior uterine walls, gradually occupying anterior part of median field. Fully-developed uterus sacciform, together with paruterine organ occupying entire median field ( Fig. 8C ). Eggs large, elliptical or with irregular shape, with diameter 38–53 (45, n=6); outer shell and embryophore thin. Oncosphere spherical, with diameter 23–28 (26, n=5). Embryonic hooks: median pair 20–23 (21, n=6) long, internal lateral pair 17–18 (17, n=5) long and external lateral pair 12 (12, n=3) long.

Remarks. In the original description, Hübscher (1937) expressed doubts about the homogeneity of the material studied and did not exclude the possibility that it represented a mixture of two species differing in the shape of the rostellar hooks, the structure of the scolex and the morphology of the paruterine organ. Our study of two slides containing scoleces in Berlese’s medium confirmed the presence of two species with identical posterior hooks (both in shape and length) but different shape and length of anterior hooks. Hübscher (1937) reported 70 rostellar hooks (vs. 78–81 revealed by our re-examination). The slide no. MHNG-PLAT-41881 (109/35) contained a scolex with 64 hooks ( Fig. 9 ). Anterior hooks ( Fig. 9A ) were 45–52 (49, n=14) long, with smaller and delicate guard 8–10 (9, n=5) long, short blade 18–20 (19, n=5) long and pointed tip of handle. Posterior hooks ( Fig. 9B ) were 26–32 (28, n=3) long, with prominent and well-developed guard, and blade 9–10 (10, n=3) long. Therefore, the scolex mounted in this slide is not conspecific with the remaining scoleces in the type series (see above) and is not included in the present redescription.

Three slides of the type series contained scoleces mounted in Canada balsam. Two scoleces possessed a long protruded rostrum; the third one was with a retracted rostellum and rostrum. However, the morphological examination of the latter revealed the appearance of a distinct strong circular musculature from the base of the rostellum to the middle of the suckers, similar to that of the scoleces with a protruded rostrum. Therefore, concerning the structure of the scolex, the differences noted by Hübscher (1937) likely reflect the physiological condition of the rostellar apparatus and have no taxonomic significance.

The type specimens mounted in Canada balsam (represented mostly by strobilar fragments) have identical strobilar structure. The differences between the original description and our observations are relative to the smaller width of the body, scolex and rostellum as well as the shorter cirrus sac (Table 2). Our study adds further details of the shape and size of the ovary as well as details of the uterine development. We do not confirm the observations by Hübscher (1937) about specimens differing in their paruterine organ formation, since the specimens available for re-examination contain a single fragment of pre-gravid and gravid proglottides.

Figures

FIGURE 7 A – E. Notopentorchis bovieni (Hübscher, 1937) from Hemiprocne longipennis (Rafinesque), Indonesia. A. Scoleces. B. Anterior rostellar hooks. C. Posterior rostellar hooks. D. Mature proglottis, dorsal view. E. Genital ducts in mature proglottis, dorsal view. Scale-bars: A, 200 µm; B, C, 50 µm; D, E, 100 µm.

FIGURE 8 A – C. Notopentorchis bovieni (Hübscher, 1937) from Hemiprocne longipennis (Rafinesque), Indonesia. Proglottides, dorsal view. A. Post-mature proglottis. B. Pre-gravid proglottis. C. Gravid proglottis. Scale-bars: A, 100 µm; B, C, 200 µm.

FIGURE 9 A – B. Notopentorchis (?) sp. from Hemiprocne longipennis (Rafinesque), Indonesia, rostellar hooks of scoleces preserved together with the type series of N. bovieni. A. Anterior rostellar hooks. B. Posterior rostellar hooks. Scale bar: 50 µm.